NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 30, 6 February 1899, Page 2

NATIONAL DAIRY ASSOCIATION.

A rather important meeting of the directors of the National Dairy Association was held at Stratford last week. In regard to shipping arrangements, the colonial representative of an English fitm of produce buyers wrote complaining of the vexatious treatment meted out to shippers and producers of dairy produce by the Shaw Savill Shipping Company, the New Zealand Shipping Company, and the Moturoa Freezing Works. He hoped that action might be taken to induce th'j Government to put an end to the hardships either by subsidising steamers which would carry the produce to England or by taking charge of the exportation and compelling owners of steamers to reserve sufficient space for the produce, and also seeing that the steamers arrive in London at regular dates. He cited instances in which steamers had in order to carry wool been delayed for considerable periods to the manifest detriment of the butter industry. If the Government rubsidy granted to the Moturoa Freezing Works, a private speculative institution, were devoted to subsidising the steamers, it would do a large amount 'of good. The Kaikoura took all dairy produce from t K e Auckland Freezing Works but would only take 1300 out of 80Q0 parcels waiting shipment in New Plymouth, although at t"e same time sh,e' was waiting about the colony for cargo to fill up her holds. This '■would have to be remedied or English merchants would divert their patronage to where they could rely upon getting supplies at regular intervals. The Chairman (Mr. J. W. Foreman) said at present there existed a contraot between the Shaw-Savill Company and the Moturoa Freezing Company, and that company and all Taranaki factories for the fortnightly carriage of all butter and cheese with coastal freight paid from New Plymouth to Wellington. This asAssociation had a contract with the New Zealand Shipping Company For the carriage of cheese from Lyttelton with free poastal freight from Welington. After considerable discussion, it was resolved that a sub-committee consisting of the Chairman (Mr. J. W. Foreman), Messrs. King and Harkness, make freight and any other important arrangements for the ensuing season, and that Government be approached •■with regard to subsidising steamers ad reqxiired. It was decided that the Secretary shouid send to each factory a circular in order to ascertain the requirements for next season with a view to obtaining the requisites on the most favourable terms. The Secretary (Mr G. A. . Ha^ey^ asked to be relieved of his engagement aw the end o£ June next, instead of at, fchi. end of the year, as the salary paid him r.'as insufficient for the work Involved. 1--was decided that the Association was not in a position sufficiently strong to warrant any increase, and Mr. Hurley therefore will be allowed to resign as he desires at the end of Juhe. Tribute was paid Co his services to the Association . during his connection with it.